Bio

Rica Takashima is a conceptual public artist and Manga artist, who was born as the fourth generation of calligraphers’ family in Tokyo, Japan.

She graduated with her B.A. from Tokyo University of Arts.

Rica started to draw Manga comics during her childhood, and created LGBT themed self-published small books, when she was in middle and high school years.

While in a college, Rica was interested in fringe theater, and participated in the design of costumes and stage sets.

In 1994, Rica started Aozora Art/Blue Sky Art, large scale street installation projects, which requires audience participation. The project themes were social problems, such as bully, sex discrimination, and marriage law. Rica started to gain recognitions from around 1996. Since then, she has been exhibiting her works at museums and art festivals.

Most of her works are openair public art installations, which involves audience participation and feedback that simultaneously demystifies art, brings it to the masses, and makes the audience think. They are characterized as pop, humorous, playful nature and happy-go-lucky attitude.

Meanwhile, in 1995, Rica started drawing the semi-autobiographical Manga portrayed everyday lives of lesbians, in the Japan’s premier lesbian magazine at the time.

She focused on her family from 2001 to 2011. Rica immigrated to the United States in 2008, and currently resides in Queens, NY.

Rica Takashima's work has been exhibited and produced around the world, including museum exhibitions at State Center for the Museums & Exhibition Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Leslie Lohman Museum, Chachama, and Museo International Museum, Bologna, Italy. Solo exhibitions have included Aomori Museum of Art, and Fujita Museum, Japan. Some of her projects have had corporate support by companies such as Fuji Photo Film Co, Ltd., Seiko Epson Corp., Asahi Breweries Arts Foundation, and Takeo Co.

Rica has published books and participated in publications including Tokyo Love Rica 'tte Kanji? a Manga graphic novel illustrated and written by Rica Takashima, ALC Publishing, New Jersey, 2003 and 2013, and Italian Version, REN Books, Bologna Italy in 2011. The book was named on the list of Best Manga 2013 by both the Sun Diego Comic Con International 2013 and the OTAKU USA.

Her work appears in both public and private collections including the International Manga Museum, Kyoto, Japan.

Aliens in New York project started in 2010, and awarded fiscal sponsorship of New York Foundation for the Arts in 2013. Mentee in Immigrant Artists Program by NYFA; Grantee from NYC Department of Cultural Affairs / Greater NY Arts Development Fund.

Currently, Rica is working on large scale installations which combine two elements of her works, Peekaboo-kun sculptures and Manga comics.

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